15 Lb packer with Questions about my wood selection

[ffighter559]

IN prepping for a big smoke this Sunday and I am Smoking a 15 Lb brisket along with two butts and some appetizers. I did a test run with some abt's, lolly pops, and moink balls last night and ran out of wood so I tried something different and wanted to ask the pros here your advice on weather I should try this for my big smoke this weekend. Last night I ran out of my usual hickory and cherry, so to add smoke to my kings ford blue, I had an idea that seemed to work well. I had some split sassafras wood for my fire pit and the raw wood smelled so good i couldn't resist. I split me some small sticks and the smoke that it produced seemed awesome and left my cook with a light sweet taste and nice pink ring! I haven't read of anyone trying this before but the results were good enough that I thought of using this for my big weekend smoke! Any thoughts or warnings about trying this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[alelover]

You will need a lot of it. 15 pound brisket will probably take 22+ hours to smoke. Some others on here have used sassafras. I never have so I can't help you there.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

FFighter,If you have a favoriute wood,use it for flavor;I know you have Maple there,use it for the Long stretch,milder and won't blacken as much if you keep the smoke Blue.Kinda like,Start the coal bed with Maple and heat the Smoker to your desired temp.,after you place the meat in, start with some flavor wood (small ones that will catch quickly-or-pre-burn the wood to embers and add it ).The preburn rids all the creosote and gasses(white smoke). A firepit is great for this,and contained-I know you know about that-(if I'm guessing right and you are a Fireman)

. If you are,thanks and a big,YOU GO HEROS!!!

 

[roller]

I think Sassafras is on the do not use list...but I know some on here use it...

 

[ffighter559]

Thanks for the replies so far, I have access to hickory and other woods, but since I have used roots from Sassafras   for teas in the past, I figured, no problem with the wood,(not sappy at all like evergreens) However if y'all say its on the no burn list, no problem for me to use maple, hickory or another wood. I planed about 20-24 hrs for the whole cook with a little help from my friends then Its GAME ON for Sunday! I just didn't want to ruin this long of a smoke if someone here had anything bad to say about the wood. Thanks All At SMF.  Will Have plenty of time so i will get some pics going when I kick this thing off!

 

[SmokinAl]

Looking forward to seeing that packer!

 

[ffighter559]

Well after researching as much as possible, I see to many mixed reviews on sassafras to risk it for a big smoke so i guess ill stick with hickory.  It was excellent on the trial run of ABT's, lollipops and moink balls, but for this big of a smoke, I think that i will stick to the knowns. Will post some QVIEWs during the smoke and let y'all know how it turns out. Thanks for all your insight and wish me luck!  By the way, the urge is too strong not to try other woods every now and then with some suggestions from here.  I guess its true, Firefighters like to see for themselves just what will burn good! Within reason of course!LOL  

    

 

[alelover]

Maple and hickory would work great.

 

[billyj571]

What did you use?

 

[ffighter559]

I wound up starting off with cherry and about four hours in i went with hickory. Very nice smoke ring with mild sweet flavor.

 

[mrted]

I've used oak a couple of times with beef and it worked very well.

 

[hobbychef]

Sassafras could be used for Venison, Elk and other game meat as well as pork.

I do not know if sassafras will do well on beef - never tried it. Usually if one will

use a hardwood such as Hickory or Oak and pair it with a fruit tree wood you 

may have a nice flavor. Sassafras is the basis for root beer so I would use it

for something that you may want to have a little sweeter hint along with the rub

mixed for that meat. Try it on both a dry smoker w/ side firebox, and with an

electric water smoker. On the water smoker, one can add seasonings to the

water. Fowl use white wine, or pork, etc. for the white meats. I have also done

a beef brisket using Hickory, Cherry & Burgundy.